Motor suspension.



No. 644,197. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

S. E. OLARKSON.

MOTOR SUSPENSION. (Application filed Aug. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES NL$ A TTOBNE 7.

NITED STATES PATENT t FFICE.

SAMUEL E. OLARKSON, OF J OHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MOTOR SUSPENSION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,197, dated February 27, 1900.

Application filed August 22, 1899. Serial No. 728,072. (No model.)

' part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in motor suspensions for electric vehicles, and is designed to provide a suspension having the desired degree of flexibility and elasticity, in which the number of parts, including the cushioning-springs, is reduced to a minimum and in which the motors, sleeved to the vehicle-axles at one end in the usual manner, are rendered mutually supporting at their nose ends, connections to the vehicle-bod y and to the truck-frame being obviated.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and com bination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view illustrating the application of my invention; Fig. 2, a side view of the same; Fig. 3, a detail View of one of the spring-cushions, and Fig. 4 a partial plan illustrating a modification.

In the drawings the letters A A designate the two motors, which are sleeved, respectively, upon the two axles B B in the usual manner.

0 designates a rigid barin the present instance an I-beam-which rests at its ends upon the tops of the motor-casings, as shown. Seats 0, having dovetailed walls, may be cast in the motor-casings to receive the end portions of the said bars, said seats being of sufficient length to permit endwise movement of the bars therein and closed at their outer ends to guard against undue endwise movement.

The nose end of each motor-casing is formed with a horizontally-projecting lug D, cast integrally therewith or otherwise provided. Loosely supported on each of these lugs is a spring-seat E, upon which rests the lower end of a stiff helical spring F. The upper end of said spring seats against a cap-plate G, which bears upon the under side of the I-beam. The spring-seat E is supported from the I- beam by means of a U-bolt H, whose closed end embraces said beam and which is secured in the spring-seat by nuts h. This U-bolt embraces the spring F. K is a second bolt, whose lcgsare passed up through the lug D inside the spring and through the cap-plate G, at the upper side of which they are secured by nuts h. Arranged in this manner it will be readily seen that the weight of the motors is first carried by the springs G through the bolts K and cap-plates G and through said spring, the spring-seats E, and the U- bolts H is transmitted to the I-beams, thereby relieving the axles to a Very large extent of the dead-weight of the motors and the consequent hammer and jar thereof in running. The upward thrust of the motors, due to torque, is taken by the springs through the springseats E, while the downthrust is similarly taken through the cap-plates G. The one set of springs is thereby made to form an effect ive cushion for the thrust of the motors in both Vertical directions.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the suspension as applied to motors having nose-lugs P. In this case I secure to said lugs a transverse bar P, upon which the lower spring-seats are supported. Instead of the seats in the top of the motor-casings for the end portions of the I-beam I secure the latter loosely thereto by means of hooks R, which engage the baseflanges of said beam. I also provide suitable stops S to guard against undue endwise movement of the I-beams.

I do not wish to limit myself to the partic= ular construction and arrangement I have herein shown and described, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with two motors, each of which is sleeved to a vehicle-axle, of a con necting-bar resting at its end portions upon the motor-casings and secured loosely there to, springs interposed between said bar and the nose or free ends of the motors, and means whereby the vertical thrust of the motors in either direction efi'ects a compression of the said springs.

2. The combination with two motors, each of which is sleeved to a vehicle-axle, of a 1011- gitudinal connecting-bar loosely seated at its ends upon the motor-casings, springs inter-' posed between the said bar and the nose or free ends of the motors, and means whereby the verticalthrust of the motors in opposite directions is applied to opposite ends of the same spring, to effect compression thereof.

3. The combination with two motors, each of which is sleeved to a vehicle-axle, of alongitudinal connecting-bar seated upon the tops of the motor-casin gs forlimited endwise movement, springs seated between the under side of the said bar and projections at the nose or free ends of the motors, and means whereby thrust of the motors in both vertical directions effects compression of the same springs. 4. The combination with two motors, each of which is sleeved to a vehicle-axle, and the connecting-bar seated thereon of a single spring interposed between the said bar and the nose orfree end of each motor, and means whereby said spring is compressed by vertical thrust of the motor in either direction.

5. The combination with the two motors, each sleeved at one end to one of the drivingaxles, and a connecting-bar seated onthe motors, of top-bearing spring-caps carried by the motors at their free ends, bottom-bearing spring-caps, suspended from the said bar to be engaged by the motors upon upward movement' thereof and springs seated between the said caps and compressed from one end by downward movement of the motors and from the other end by upward movement of the same.

6. In a motor suspension, the combination with a motor sleeved at one end to one of the driving-axles, of a supporting-spring for the free or nose portion of the motor, and means whereby downward movement of the motor about the axle effects a compression of said spring from one end and upward movement of the same effects a compression thereof from the opposite end.

7. The combination with the sleeved motors having spring-supports at their free or nose ends, and a beam or bar resting upon and loosely connecting said motors, of the springseats E, the U-bolts which suspend said seats from the said beam or bar, the cap-plates G, the bolts which carry the same from the said supports, and the coil-springs interposed between seats and plates, one of said bolts passing through each of the said springs, and the other bolt embracing the same.

8. The combination with two motors, each of which is sleeved to a vehicle-axle, of an elastic connection for the motors supported by bearings on the tops of the motor frames or casings and also connected with the free or nose portions of the motors.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

S. E. OLARKSON. lVitnesses:

M. E. SHARPE, H. \V. SMITH. 

